HC seeks Delhi govt, ICMR replies on pleas challenging decision to restrict Covid-19 testing

NEW DELHI: The Delhi high court on Monday asked the Delhi government and the ICMR to reply to two pleas challenging the Health department’s decision to exclude “asymptomatic or pre-symptomatic patients” from Covid19 testing.

A bench of Chief Justice D N Patel and Justice Prateek Jalan issued notices to the authorities on two separate but similar petitions filed by doctor KK Aggarwal, Padma Shri Awardee and former President of Indian Medical Association (IMA), and Renu Goswami.

The court, which conducted the hearing through video conferencing, listed both the matters for further hearing on June 22. Aggarwal, who is also the president of NGO, ‘Heart Care Foundation of India’, challenged the Delhi government’s June 2 decision formulating the strategy of Covid-19 testing as per which “asymptomatic patients or pre-symptomatic patients” are excluded from testing.

He has sought quashing of the Health Department’s order as getting a medical test done is a fundamental right of every citizen.

He also said that as Covid19 is a notifiable disease it is mandatory for all citizens to get themselves tested for the virus, irrespective of whether the patient is symptomatic or asymptomatic or pre-symptomatic patient.

He said the citizens should be allowed to get themselves tested so as to be assured whether they are suffering from this deadly disease or not and accordingly take immediate and prompt medical treatment.

In the second petition, Goswami too has challenged the legality and validity of the June 2 office order, curtailing access to Covid-19 tests despite an alarming increase in the number of Covid positive cases within the national Capital.